The Mesoterran Basin and Its Civilizations

Geographic Overview Mesoterran Sea bordered by three continents Nodria to the north Temperate to subarctic climate Extensive forests White people Oridria to the east Subtropical arid climate Deserts and scrubland Olive-skinned people with arched noses Sudria to the south Tropical climate Savannas and rainforests Dark-skinned people with tightly coiled hair Island of Mesandria in the middle of the sea Mediterranean climate Chaparral and cedar/cypress/olive woodlands Olive-skinned people with straight noses Nodric Civilizations Gaelbion Redheaded population Hierarchical social structure Monarchical leadership Both men and women can lead Druidic aristocracy leads spiritual affairs Animistic religion Nature worship Water deities especially important Midwald Blond population Egalitarian social structure Jarls elected democratically Personal honor very important Must be avenged if offended Weregild law system (monetary compensation as an alternative to eye-for-an-eye) Animistic religion Natural phenomena often anthropomorphized in stories Thunder is most important deity Makedonja Blond population Distant relationship to Midwaldmen? One kingdom Elective monarchy Citizenship and right to vote linked with military service Some cultural influences from the Elladoi civilization on Mesandria Elladoi philosophers have educated some Makedonjan leaders But Elladoi view Makedonja as copycat barbarians Oridric Civilizations Shemites Desert nomads Herd camels, sheep, and goats Goat-hair tents Commercial economy Cities are largely trade outposts Oligarchic social structure Council of tribal elders elect the sheikhs (leaders) Monotheistic religion Supreme Being Elaha associated with the moon Also a belief in evil spirits made of smokeless fire Polygamy Raiding and harassing caravans is very important to the culture Personal honor highly valued Eye-for-an-eye justice system Arzanistan Extensive empire in the east Desert, mountains, and steppes are dominant terrains Multi-ethnic Mercenaries feature prominently in army Qanat system for accessing groundwater Wells and tunnels Provide irrigation for farms Religion has two major deities Good and evil gods Reverence of fire Fire believed to have purifying effect Shah is most important spiritual leader Cavalry play a prominent role in the military Mounted archers Can shoot at pursuers while retreating Cataphracts Heavily armored knight-like elite cavalrymen War elephants Imported from the savannas of Hindya to the distant southeast Smaller than elephants used by Sudric civilizations Immortals Elite warriors skilled at evading enemies and agile combat Think Persian ninjas Armed with scimitars Phunites Live on western coastline Related to Shemites But religion is more polytheistic Skilled shipbuilders and sailors Have colonized many distant lands Most prominent of these found on northwest Sudrian coast Commercial economy Alphabetic written script Most important deity is Balaha Demands child sacrifice in times of need

Sudric Civilizations Kametu Centered on a river flowing through the eastern savanna Floodplain agriculture very important to local economy Also herding domesticated buffaloes Oldest civilization in the world Mudbrick and limestone architecture Pyramidal Tombs Temples Obelisks Provincially divided into Lower, Middle, and Upper Kametu Lower Kametu is the marshy river delta Middle and Upper Kametu meet at Elephant Cataract (a stretch of rapids with an elephant-shaped island in the middle) Upper Kametu bordered by rainforest to the south Average skin color darkens as one travels southward/upriver in Kametu Lower Kametians have caramel brown skin Middle Kametians are chocolate brown Upper Kametians have the darkest skin (almost literally black) Hieroglyphic written script Animal deities play a prominent role in the polytheistic religion Buffaloes are the most revered of all But also wild animals (crocodiles, felines, pachyderms, etc.) Supreme Creator deity associated with the Sun Considered an ancestor to the monarchs Ancestor veneration Ancestors believed to affect personal or familial fortunes Monarchic government Both men and women can rule Absolute primogeniture Rulers believed to have divine ancestry and powers Summoning the rains Belief that with great power comes great responsibility; benevolence demanded of monarchs Buried in grand stone tombs Mummification Belief in magic Witchcraft and sorcery are widely feared "Voodoo" beliefs (e.g. destroying effigies can harm real people) Used in medicine Men are healers and women diviners who can diagnose sicknesses Zebra chariots Mounted with archers or lancers War elephants Larger than those used by Arzanistanis Nubantu Herd buffaloes and farm on Sudria's northwestern coastline Numidian/South African Bantu flavor

Mesandric Civilizations Ellados Warring city-states Mountainous region in eastern Mesandria Marble architecture Slavery and maritime commerce very important to the economy Demigods are major heroes in mythology Kings sometimes claim descent from them Gods believed to have capricious personalities Don't like hubris Phalanx formations for spearmen Hoplites wear lots of armor One city-state famous for its philosophical and scientific advances Learned much of its science from Sudric and Oridric civilizations Extremely patriarchal culture Women are considered almost chattel Homoerotic male-bonding encouraged among men Pederasty Valerian Empire Technologically advanced empire Extremely militaristic and expansionistic Emperor has dictatorial power Belief in their own racial and cultural superiority Valerians > other Mesandrians > Oridrians > Sudrians > Nodrians in their racial hierarchy Refer to Nodrians and Sudrians as "piss-hairs" and "shit-skins" respectively Few moral qualms about genocide or destroying enemy settlements Slavery critical to economy Slaves have no rights whatsoever Physical abuse widespread Slaves usually come from "barbarian" races Gladiator games Most popular entertainment

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northwestern coastline Numidian/South African Bantu flavor Most have caramel brown skin Live in dome-shaped thatched houses Ancestor veneration dominates religion Also a belief in witchcraft Zebra cavalry Warlike culture Raiding buffaloes and horses very important Mandegu Located in western Sudria Centered around a river, similar to Kametu West African flavor Mudbrick architecture Universities Temples Dark brown skin Renown for exporting LOTS of gold Commercial economy Ancestor veneration Sun associated with Creator as in KametU Snake deity believed to bless kingdom with wealth when regularly fed young women Colorful cotton clothing Zebra cavalry dominates military Also war elephants Traditional rivals for Kametians Vying for control of northern Sudria Shabya Northeastern Sudrian coast Ethiopian flavor Stone architecture Rock-cut tombs Obelisks/stelae Fortresses Commercial and agricultural economy Terraced farms on mountain slopes Sailing Buffalo-herding tribes in interior Moon rather than Sun is associated with Supreme Being Shemitish influences? Colonies in southwestern Oridria Sudro-Phunitic Empire Northwest Sudria Carthaginian flavor Originally a series of Phunite colonies Unified into an empire Has extended its influence into western Mesandria Mercenary army War elephants Nubantu zebra-riders

Most popular entertainment Monotheistic religion Believe in an omnipotent, omniscient god named Dios Believe they have been divinely ordained to spread their religion Heresy and blasphemy are capital crimes In the past, a Senate of patricians once kept the Emperor's powers in check Advisory council In fact Emperor was often their tool He had to conquer land for the patricians to exploit Their influence has weakened over time as the Emperors have grown stronger Heavily armored infantry in legions Advanced siege weapons Catapults Ballistae

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